International Charts Analysis: A Star Is Born continues global ascent

With BTS now established internationally, the next K-Pop act to go global will be EXO. Comprising eight South Koreans and one Chinese member, their fifth album, Don’t Mess Up My Tempo, is shaping up to be their biggest by some distance. Released last Friday, it had reached No.1 on iTunes in 43 countries by 6pm GMT that day.

While that album’s success has yet to be confirmed by official chart rankings, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born soundtrack continues to have real and tangible success. Although dipping 1-2 in The UK and 1-3 in Switzerland, the album remains at No.1 in Canada, The Czech Republic, Ireland, New Zealand, Slovakia and The USA and climbs 2-1 in Norway. It also debuts at No.18 in South Africa, climbs 6-2 in Portugal, 3-2 in Croatia, 14-4 in Greece, 9-7 in Germany and 11-10 in Wallonia but falls 2-4 in Austria, 4-5 in Italy and The Netherlands, 2-6 in Spain, 7-8 in France and 10-12 in Flanders.

A Star Is Born’s replacement atop the UK chart is Si, the 16th studio album but first No.1 for 60 year old Italian tenor, Andrea Bocelli. That surpasses its debut in his homeland, where it opens at No.6. It also debuts at No.3 in Ireland, No.4 in Flanders, No.7 in The Netherlands, No.12 in Germany, No.53 in Wallonia and No.73 in South Korea (No.3 on International chart).

Culture Club’s first album of new material for 19 years, Life opens at No.12 in the band’s native UK, and at No.58 in Germany, No.66 in Italy and No.151 in Wallonia.

UK singer/songwriter Tom Odell lands his third straight top five album in his homeland with Jubilee Road. It also debuts at No.27 in Ireland, No.30 in The Netherlands, No.56 in Flanders, No.66 in Germany and No.126 in Wallonia.

Meanwhile Radiohead leader Thom Yorke’s soundtrack album for film director Luca Guadagnino’s new horror movie Suspiria debuts at No.13 in The UK, No.20 in Italy, No.23 in Flanders, No.32 in Japan, No.40 in The Netherlands, No.44 in Wallonia, No.53 in Ireland and No.55 in Germany.

Its debuts in 10 other countries documented here last week – all of them in the Top 25 – Queen’s soundtrack to the Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody adds debuts in a further 10, namely Australia (No.5) Spain (No.9), Austria (No.11), Greece (No.11), The Czech Republic (No.15), Switzerland (No.16), Slovakia (No.18), The USA (No.22), Canada (No.24) and France (No.37). It also climbs 6-3 in New Zealand, 5-3 in The UK, 6-5 in Ireland and 20-14 in Flanders.

After debuting at No.2 in Germany and New Zealand, No.7 in Norway and The UK, No.9 in Sweden, No.13 in Flanders, No.28 in The Netherlands, No.30 in Italy, No.41 in Wallonia and No.51 in Ireland last week, Chicago hard rock band Disturbed’s seventh album, Evolution adds debuts at No.3 in Australia, No.4 in Canada, Switzerland and The USA, No.5 in Austria, No.7 in Hungary, No.31 in Denmark, No.22 in Spain, No.33 in The Czech Republic and No.114 in France.

The new ‘complete edition’ of Dua Lipa’s hugely successful eponymous debut album triggered some big climbs/re-entries for the album last week, as itemised here. The less rapidly compiled charts are also now in, and show that in addition to those previously noted revivals, the album re-enters the chart at No.11 in Spain, No.15 in Hungary, No.26 in Denmark and No.71 in Switzerland, while jumping 58-28 in Canada, 129-42 in The USA, 85-53 in Australia and 199-65 in France.